Keeping Your Workouts Vibrant
By Stephen R. Farris
Working out is not always easy. We may get up early in the morning to go about our workout routine, or do it when we get off from work in the evening. It can get to the point where it lacks the luster it once had with us in the beginning, and we start to just go through the motions.
If you find yourself getting bored with your workouts there is a way to add a little more spice and give them a boost to keep the adrenaline pumped and your goals of reaching and maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle.
You've Got to Keep Busy
According to government guidelines on how much time we should spend working out, the average is approximately 150 minutes per week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly three-fourths of Americans that work out do not come close to this set standard.
So is more time better? Or is less just as good too? It depends. It may not be how much time we are spending working out, but more the quantity we put into our workouts.
Variety Is the Spice of Life
For instance, let's say your workout is to hit the treadmill at your local gym. You set your speed and time, then boom. You're off to the races and 45 minutes later, you've crossed the finish line and then back home. Done and done for the day, same old routine. Maybe it's time to make a switch, or a tweak or two to your workout. Try warming up like you regularly do, then increase your pace by 1 to 2 miles per hour. Do so for about a minute, then drop back to your normal pace. Do this several times during your session. What took you 45 minutes to reach your 4- to 5-mile goal, can now be shortened by 5 to 10 minutes. On the plus side, you will be increasing your oxygen intake as well. Do this will help better condition your body too.
If weight training is your go-to workout, changing the pace of lifting can provide better results and strength. Most of the time we tend to lie back on the bench, grab the bar, push it up and then back down to our chest as quickly as possible until we've reached our desired reps and sets. Change up your routine a bit by holding the bar upright for a couple of seconds, then back down for a couple of seconds and repeat until you reach your rep goal. If the type of lifting exercise you're doing is easy throughout the set, add more weight to make it a little tougher.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Huntington Beach, Calif.